


she got the man

by pettynaley



Category: Girl Meets World
Genre: Angst, F/M, Future Fic, fluffy flashback
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-05-12
Updated: 2017-05-12
Packaged: 2018-10-30 19:58:44
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,053
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10883880
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/pettynaley/pseuds/pettynaley
Summary: She thought they'd be together forever, she really did.A shocking discovery on Facebook forces Riley to realize she doesn't want to let go of the past, or her old boyfriend.





	she got the man

**Author's Note:**

> I wrote this for Rucas Fanfiction week back in the fall and decided to post it here!

"You look so grown up in your black tux, from a ball cap in a pick up, seems like another world."

Riley slammed her laptop shut and twirled around in her spinny desk chair. She laid her head back and stared up at the ceiling as she tried to process her recent discovery. Lucas had gotten married; her Lucas a voice in the back of her head chimed in, but Riley beckoned it to buzz off and proceeded to ignore it. It shouldn't be so surprising, she reasoned with herself, he'd been seeing this woman for over a year, yet the expected was unexpected. She couldn't believe it. 

Riley's eyes darted back over to her laptop, feeling her chest ache in resentment. I just had to log on Facebook, she scolded herself. Nothing good came from that stupid, million dollar website. Nothing. She shot daggers at the device, wishing her will alone could make it go up in smoke. As long as she was depending on herself for things, Riley wished she could have the image of Lucas and his new bride erased from her head. If only the universe was that kind, she thought cynically, which wasn't in her nature. 

The day had started off good enough for Riley. She'd had breakfast with Maya at a cafe down the block and had managed not to spill coffee on herself. That accomplish in itself deemed the day a success. After that, Riley had gone into work at the Greenwich Village Gazette, where she'd been employed for a few years now and managed to move her way up the ladder as a journalist; she discovered a love for writing deep inside herself sophomore year of high school and had decided to pursue it. She'd completed what she thought was the best article of her career thus far that day on gender payment inequality, which was something she felt passionately about. After Riley had finished explaining the unfair treatment of women in the workplace, she'd decided to take a well earned break. Choosing to curb her hunger for pop culture, she'd logged onto Facebook and scrolled through her newsfeed for a few minutes, cooing over adorable animals and laughing at memes. 

And that's when she saw the photo. That's when her heart was ripped out of her chest and she was yanked into a time machine that transported her back to her adolescent years, where her biggest worries were where she put her cheer skirt and if she remembered to bring the check her Dad had written her for lunch money. 

Riley's old friend Zay had commented on Lucas's photo, congratulating him on the wedding, and it had popped up for her since she was Zay's friend. Zay was the only one in her group of friends who had really stayed in touch with Lucas following graduation and his breakup with Riley, so she couldn't blame him for the interaction or her having to see it. Maya, forever Riley's protector and loyal soulmate, had turned her back on the Texan. Farkle and Smackle had said they were Switzerland on the matter, but their slight favor towards Riley had been obvious. Zay, however, was amazing through the situation. He stayed close with both Riley and Lucas, never taking a side or making a villain either of them. He helped both of them through the pain of the aftermath. It warmed Riley's heart to think about the purity and depth of Zay's friendship. 

Riley had stared at the photograph of Lucas and his wife for five minutes, memorizing and absorbing every detail; the word "wife" left a bitter, yet nostalgic feeling of loss behind as she recalled her and Lucas's many conversations on the topic of marriage. This time frame was much longer than she'd ever admit out loud to. She would never let anyone know she was slightly obsessed with the matter, but no one could blame her if they did somehow know of her intense examination. 

How good Lucas looked was the first thing Riley had noticed. He'd grown up a lot since high school. He was even taller than before, probably around 6 foot now or a little above. His arms seemed bigger, more muscular, if that was possible, especially in that black tux. His hair was shorter and his face and jaw were more defined. He was definitely starting to resemble the grown man her Father had believed him to be in only seventh grade. Riley lightly giggled at the memory. The only thing that hadn't changed, really, were his eyes. They were still a bright and alluring, attention grabbing shade of green and they sparkled as he smiled at the camera. Absentmindedly and maybe a little longingly, Riley wondered if he looked at his wife in the adoring way he'd always looked at her, with eyes filled to the brim with mind blowing love and devotion. When Riley realized how narcissistic that train of thought was, she'd shrugged it off and urged herself not to make his happiness about herself. That's not who she was. The point was that Lucas, if she was being honest, had transformed from an attractive boy into a handsome, Godlike man. 

"You and me and our big dreams, falling in love  
We were two kids in the backseat, all fearless and young."

Riley stared out the large paned window at New York City, which was trapped under a curtain of fog and rain. The weather matched Riley's mood. She too had a storm brewing inside of her that would descend upon the Earth in a crash with the slightest provocation. A grim smile crossed her lips as an old memory began to play in her mind. 

Rain had always been a part of Riley and Lucas's relationship. They were summer rain, she remembered fondly. Riley tapped her fingernails on her desk. Her relationship with Lucas, their past, felt like ancient history, but it wasn't. They'd been young and fearless; the hardest struggles of the world hadn't touched them yet. 

They'd both been full of dreams and full of hope; Lucas had loved her firm faith in the world, in people. He'd loved her faith in him. They'd shared stories. Their bond had been formed in the local library under the dim lights as Lucas told her he wanted to be a vet, which was something he'd never told anyone before. Riley smiled despite her mood; that dream had come true and she was so proud of him. They'd laughed and talked and had fun. Conversation was the most important part of any relationship, as was friendship and they'd been friends for 2 years before they'd found their way together finally freshman year. They'd fought and grown together. Things only grow through struggle, after all. Lucas always wanted to protect her and that could cause problems because it often interfered with what Riley wanted. However, things only hurt when you care and Riley cared about Lucas more than anything. She'd loved him and he'd loved her. Riley was the princess and Lucas was her hero in rusted armor, but their relationship wasn't shallow in any regard. If it had been, they would have never endured all that they did prior to their official relationship and even after. Riley had had her epic brush with fate and destiny when she fell into Lucas's lap on the subway and had had her storybook moments when he called her a princess and asked her to choose him with a purple jelly bean, but they were no simple fairytale like the ones Riley's parents used to tell her before bed. They hadn't even lived happily ever after. 

"I got the first kiss and she'll get the last  
She's got the future and I got the past  
I got the class ring, she got the diamond and wedding band  
I got the boy and she got the man"

Lucas had been Riley's first kiss and what a kiss it was. Okay, it was only a quick peck on the lips and it was nothing compared to the kisses they shared later on in their relationship, but Riley would always consider it her favorite. She'd taken the plunge and created a moment she'd remember for the rest of her life. However, the best part of her first kiss had come later on in her relationship with Lucas. It turned out, she'd been his first kiss, too. She had something no girl would ever have. Whenever someone asked Lucas who his first kiss was, he'd have to say her name. He'd have to remember her, the sensation of her lips against his and it would reignite the memory of every other kiss they'd ever shared. Riley would always be a part of him because of this, just like Lucas would always be a part of her. 

Riley wouldn't get his last kiss, though and the thought was enough to make her heart clench in her chest. His wife would. When Lucas departed this world and went on to the next, whatever and wherever that was, the last person he'd ever kiss wouldn't be Riley. No. Riley had already had her last kiss with Lucas and she wouldn't get another. 

Carrying guilt like she'd committed a crime, Riley opened her laptop and pulled the photo back up. She decided she must like tormenting herself, because this hurt like hell. She was a masochist it seemed. She scrolled aimlessly through the photo album created specifically for the event until she came across a close up of the rings. Her eyes widened. They were gorgeous. Actually, they were more than that. Lucas's wife's band was elegant, extravagant and a symbol of Lucas's love or his salary. Either way, it was easily the finest piece of jewelry Riley had ever laid eyes on. 

Riley's mind wandered back to her sophomore year of high school when Lucas had given her a similar gift-not in a sense of monetary value, but in it's worth inside his heart. 

*Flashback*

Riley sat cuddled up beside her boyfriend Lucas in her living room on the sofa. The two of them had just gotten home from school and were studying for a Biology test the next day. However, not much studying was actually being accomplished, because Lucas couldn't resist teasing Riley. He was running his hands up her sides and down her back, making her jerk as breathless giggles left her lips. 

"Lucas, c'mon. We need to study or we'll fail this test. Cells are tricky," Riley protested in a gasp as she attempted to fight off her boyfriend's tickle attack. 

"I already know everything I need to know about cells," Lucas replied with a confident nod, tightening his grip on her and quickening his hands in their movements. 

Riley screamed in laughter and doubled over. She threw her head back, unable to control herself. Lucas smirked confidently, having accomplished his goal of making girlfriend smile. Riley laid on the couch panting as she tried to slow her heart rate down. Watching Lucas from the corner of her eye, she managed to get out, "What do you know about cells?" 

Lucas raised his eyebrows and touched his chest indignantly. "I happen to know plenty." He said curtly, then added in a monotone, "The mitochondria is the powerhouse of the cell." 

Riley simply rolled her eyes, but then shrugged her shoulders sheepishly, because she did not know that. The only thing she'd learned thus far in Biology was that she had an itense hatred for it. It was the G-rated version of health class. She snuggled closer to Lucas as he intertwined their hands. Riley studied his hands, her eyes noting something was different. It only took her a minute to figure out what it was. Lucas was wearing a ring! It was silver with a large blue stone and had their graduation year engraved on it. 

"Hey, you got your class ring!" Riley exclaimed, pulling his hand closer to her face in order to better her examination of the jewelry. 

Lucas nodded. "Yup. Came in the mail this morning. What do you think? You like it? I picked it out myself, ya know?" He asked her, looking very much like he wanted to receive her praise and validation. It was clear he wanted to impress her in that adorably quirky way of his. 

"It's pretty. Really big, really sparkly. I like it." Riley confirmed, tracing the baseball bat that was also engraved in black on one the side's of the metallic ring. "Mine will be princess cut whenever it shows up." She informed him, glancing up to smile. 

Lucas laughed. "Of course it will be, Princess. I wouldn't expect anything else." He kissed the top of her head. 

"Blue too, just like yours, since I went with my birthstone," Riley added. Her face began to glow as she abruptly sat up and she turned to face him. "We'll have matching rings! It'll be like having wedding bands without the wedding, but who cares? Someday that will be us. I know it. This is so romantic." She gushed, giddy, her eyes crinkling in true Riley Matthew's fashion. 

Lucas was grinning so hard his face was probably going to snap in half. Riley Matthews was the most adorable person on the face of the planet. She was even more precious when she was excited, but especially when she was excited because of her faith in the notion they'd still be together in the future. 

Lucas slid his ring off and fiddled with a moment and Riley watched him in curious confusion. He placed the piece of jewelry in her hand and curled her finders around it. Riley's eyebrows furrowed as he began to speak. "I want you to hold onto this for me, Riley. That probably sounds strange and kinda lame, but I do. One day, I want to marry you and that means I'm promising my life to you. It's a forever kind of promise, so let's cash in on that now. Your class ring is supposed to represent the best years of your life, so who else other than you should have something that meaningful? I guess this is me promising you a right now since forever will only come someday." Lucas finished his passionate, yet demure and hesitant speech by taking Riley's other hand in his and squeezing it. 

Riley, shining like the sun, and looking at Lucas like he was the moon, leaned in and kissed him deeply. "I will gladly take right now." 

*End of Flashback* 

"We each got something, the other will never have  
I got the long hair, hot head  
She got the cool and steady hand" 

Riley snapped out of it, becoming much more melancholy than she had been before. She traced the pattern of lines that made up the wood of her desk. A heavy workload beckoned her to come back to it, but Riley knew she was far too distracted to focus on anything other than this wedding. Thoughts of Lucas's wife sprung into her mind. From what she knew about the woman, they didn't have much common other than their love for Lucas Friar and the fact that each had something the other would never had. The idea made Riley both jealously resentful and pleased. 

Riley would forever hold onto Lucas's firsts. His first kiss, first relationship, first declaration of love, first time, hell even his first heartache, belonged to her. All of it. She had seen Lucas in the most awkward phase of his life. She had experienced his laugh and smile before the weight of the world dimed that. She'd know all things he'd dreamed about before reality intervened and life got in the way. She'd felt loved, safe and secure in the haven that was his arms; she'd been one of the first to know the salvation that could be found in his protection, despite the fact that he could be pretty volatile himself. And she'd seen him at his worst, in his rage, his jealously and his hurt during a time when every emotion is heightened, when everything is felt and when every fall is the end of the world. She'd been there for all of it. That had to matter, it did. 

But it didn't, because she wasn't his wife. She would never get any of the lasts, or the chance to congratulate him on his success. She didn't even get to know the man he was today. Riley had gotten the hot head, but Lucas's wife got the steady man. 

"I got the boy and she got the man." 

Tears burned in Riley's eyes at this point and she struggled not break down in sobs right in the middle of work. She'd given up the only man she'd ever loved and now she could never get him back. Lucas was lost to her forever, no longer hers to lose all because she'd been young and suddenly afraid of the future. It's tragic and gut wrenching, but not un-common. Maybe that's why it's tragic. 

Making a hasty, split second decision, Riley yanked the phone off the cradle and dialed the memorized, but time forgotten number. She blinked back tears and sniffled as it rang. She knew she was being impulsive and that she was going to make a fool of herself. The thing was she didn't care. After all, there was no sense without sensibility. Riley rubbed her eyes and held her breath. Four rings. 

There was finally an answer. "Hello," said a voice so deep and familiar that Riley nearly lost the little composure she had. She gripped her desk chair as tight as she could without snapping it in half and closed her eyes. "Hello? Anybody there? Hello." The voice restated, sounding more and more confused. 

As the person on the other greeted her repeatedly, a thousand different words formed on Riley's lips, all of which proclaimed undying love that would defy time and distance, but none of them came out. Or maybe Riley didn't have the courage to make them come out. She pursed her lips, pushing her hair out of her face and braced herself for what she intended to say. 

But the words never came. Riley slammed the phone down, once again letting go of someday.


End file.
